Oprah Winfrey, performer-activist Harry Belafonte and Scandal creator Shonda Rhimes were honored at Harvard University Tuesday at its annual celebration of African-American culture.

The university presented its annual W.E.B. Du Bois Medals to eight people, including British architect David Adjaye, civil rights hero U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), “12 Years a Slave” director Steve McQueen and movie producer Harvey Weinstein. Winfrey accepted a posthumous award for author and poet Maya Angelou, who she has called a mentor.

The billionaire philanthropist said one of her fondest memories of Angelou, who died earlier this year, was sitting at her table and eating biscuits.